By hiring favorite son Eddie Jordan to helm a men's basketball program ensconced in turmoil, Rutgers sought to turn the page.

The next page contained more controversy, though.

Jordan did not graduate from Rutgers, which conflicts with published material by the university and what Jordan said upon his hiring in April to replace fired coach Mike Rice.

Deadspin.com was first to report Jordan had come up short of credits to earn a degree. An official from the Rutgers Registrar's office confirmed Jordan's status to USA TODAY Sports on Friday afternoon.

Deadspin.com was first to report Jordan had come up short of credits to earn a degree. An official from the Rutgers Registrar's office confirmed Jordan's status to USA TODAY Sports on Friday afternoon.

Jordan's biography on ScarletKnights.com states that Jordan, "scored 1,632 career points and earned honorable mention All-American honors as a senior in 1977 before earning a degree in health and physical education."

Jordan said after he was hired that Rutgers is "a great place to be. It's a great degree."

Rutgers acknowledged the discrepancy in a statement:

While Rutgers was in error when it reported that Eddie Jordan had earned a degree from Rutgers University, neither Rutgers nor the NCAA requires a head coach to hold a baccalaureate degree. Eddie Jordan was a four-year letterman and was inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980. Rutgers sought Eddie for the head coach position as a target-of-opportunity hire based on his remarkable public career.

Eddie Jordan was inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2004 and he has been a part of the Rutgers family since before 1977.

His athletic skills and leadership and his professional accomplishments have been a source of pride for Rutgers for more than three decades. We are excited to have him as our men's basketball coach, and we look forward to many winning seasons.

Rutgers' current job postings for a men's basketball assistant and swimming assistant list a bachelor's degree as a requirement.

Jordan told ESPN that he completed his coursework in 1985, after his NBA playing career ended, but that, "I didn't get a diploma because I wasn't registered right." He was a volunteer assistant with the Scarlet Knights at that time and later returned as a full assistant from 1988-92.

"Some of the professors are still around and some are gone but they all know I was in class and did my work,'' Jordan told ESPN. "There was arrogance on my part when I was told I didn't register right and then I left to (coach at) Old Dominion. I was told my classes were never recorded. I saw a transcript. I will have to find it. I was there and I completed the work. My professors that are still there know that. That's it."

The revelation also undercuts the notion that Rutgers conducted an extensive background check prior to hiring Jordan. During his introductory remarks, Jordan said, "I'd like to thank our Board of Governors and our Board of Trustees who understood the meaning of due diligence. People have taken some criticism on the length of time, but the due diligence was very important in their minds and in their actions to get this thing right. And I'm glad that they chose me."On top of everything it is another headache for an athletic department that was shrouded in controversy throughout April after ESPN aired a video montage of Rice physically abusing players during practice. That led to Rice's firing and the resignation of popular athletics director Tim Pernetti, as well as two rounds of external investigations into what university president Robert L. Barchi termed "a failure of process."